Sunday Evening News 415- Week 09 - 2025
Weekly report on genetic engineering, genome editing, biotechnology and legal regulation.
February 2025-02-24 - March 2025-03-02
Aufzeichnung: LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION METHODS FOR NGT PRODUCTS
Regulatory framework; present and outlooks (Dr. Tomasz Zimny, Aleksandra Hubar-Kołodziejczyk)
Zur Erinnerung: Vor 50 Jahren fand die Asilomar-Konferenz statt.
Im Februar (24.-27.) 1975 fand die legendäre, in die Wissenschaftsgesichte eingegangene Asilomar Konferenz „Conference on Recombinant DNA“ statt. Auf ihr diskutierten ca.150 Wissenschaftlern einschließlich Juristen und Journalisten aus 17 Staaten über potenzielle Risiken von r DNA und über Sicherheitsrichtlinien zum Arbeiten mit rDNA sowie mit GVO. Es wurden vier Risikogruppen in Abhängigkeit der möglichen Gefährdung für Mensch und Umwelt herausgearbeitet und Empfehlungen für räumliche und biochemische Sicherheitsmaßnahmen für eine unbeabsichtigte Freisetzung abgegeben. Vereinbart wurde einerseits die Fortbildung von Mitarbeitern in Sachen Molekularbiologie und die Einhaltung von Sicherheitsmaßnahmen sowie der guten Laborpraxis. Es wurde ein Verbot für Arbeiten mit hochpathogen Organismen, mit sehr großen Kulturvolumen und zum absichtlichen Freisetzen von GVO ausgesprochen.
► Zusammenfassung der Konferenz: Berg P., Baltimore D., Brenner S., Roblin R.O., Singer M.F. (1975): Summary Statement of the Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA Molecules. PNAS 72(6),1981-1984
Siehe auch: ► 30 Jahre europäische Gesetzgebung zur Bio- und Gentechnik
Die Vorgeschichte – Ein neuer Wissenschaftszweig und Wirtschaftsbereich entwickeln sich
“The Spirit of Asilomar and the Future of Biotechnology”
https://www.spiritofasilomar.org/
The Spirit of Asilomar 2025 Program https://www.spiritofasilomar.org/program
Reactions:
GM Watch: Civil society groups warn new Asilomar conference: Scientists must not be allowed to self-regulate
https://gmwatch.org/en/106-news/latest-news/20512
FINAL TEXT: An Open Statement from Civil Society (nonprofits) Addressing the 'Spirit of Asilomar and the future of
Biotechnology' conference and to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Asilomar Conference
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j8IfswDV9ZpY8FkXwnd7ekcSALyQggvOay9zZZg1mz4/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0
_________________________________________________________________________________
Parthasarathy S.: Viewing Asilomar from the Global South. Science 387, Issue 6733, 454 DOI: 10.1126/science.adw2511
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw2511
Hurlbut J.B. (2025): Taking responsibility: Asilomar and its legacy. Science 387, (6733), 468-472
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adv3132
Campos L. A. (2025): Invoking Asilomar. Science 387 (6733), 480-481
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adv7574
Cobb M. (2025): Money and murder: the dark side of the Asilomar meeting on recombinant DNA. Nature 638, 603-608
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00457-w
Trends in Biotechnology : Focus Issue: 50 years after Asilomar
Dederer H.-G. (2025): Human health and genetic technology. Trends in Biotechnology 43, Issue 3, 522-532
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.12.006
The 1975 Asilomar conference contributed to the misperception that recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology is inherently risky to human health and the environment. It thus paved the way toward process-based regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), such as in the EU. Initially, this regulatory approach obstructed technological uses of rDNA related to human health. However, regulators gradually softened the rules applicable to laboratories or industrial facilities. This encouraged R&D and production of pharmaceuticals derived from GMOs. Nevertheless, administering pharmaceuticals containing GMOs to patients may still be confronted with burdensome process-based GMO law on the deliberate release of GMOs into the environment. On the other hand, pharmaceutical law may need to be updated regarding, for example, novel gene therapies or xenotransplantation.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167779924003664
Lubieniechi S.A., Van Eenennaam A.L., Stuart J. Smyth S.J. (2025): Regulation of animal and plant agricultural biotechnology.
Trends in Biotechnology 43, Issue 3, 511-521 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.11.003
Fifty years ago, scientists developed a regulatory framework for the safe use of recombinant DNA that focused on potential biosafety risks associated with the products of genetic engineering (GE). This morphed into an expensive and lengthy premarket risk assessment requirement for GE agricultural biotechnology products triggered solely by the fact that modern molecular technologies were involved in the development of those products. This has limited the commercialization of GE crop products primarily to multinational enterprises and precluded the development of GE animals at scale. Gene editing offers an opportunity to rethink the regulation of agricultural biotechnologies, and several countries have determined that gene-edited products lacking any ‘foreign’ DNA will be treated in the same way as products of conventional breeding.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167779924003160
Thakor A., Charles T.C. (2025): Recombinant DNA: unlocking untapped microbial potential for innovation in crop
agriculture. Trends in Biotechnology 43, Issue 3, 533-539 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2025.01.001
The Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA, held in 1975, established guidelines for recombinant DNA (rDNA) research and laid the foundation for biotechnology regulations. While rDNA has driven significant advancements in pharmaceutical and crop biotechnology, the commercialization of plant-beneficial microbials developed using rDNA has lagged behind. This disparity may be attributed to a cumbersome regulatory framework shaped by the perception that rDNA products pose biosafety risks. To unlock the full potential of rDNA technology in addressing global challenges, regulatory reform for rDNA-derived microbial products for crop plants that reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides is essential. Streamlining these barriers will enable greater societal benefits from microbial solutions in agriculture and beyond.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167779925000010
Ludlow K., Zepeda J.F., Smyth S.J. (2025): Risk-appropriate, science-based innovation regulations are important. Trends
in Biotechnology 43, Issue 3, 502 -510 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.11.004
Inappropriate and often politicized regulations in many countries have limited the global benefits of agricultural biotechnology. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) has proven to be one of the biggest barriers to biotechnological innovations, especially for food-insecure countries. The global movement of international agreements, such as the CPB, Convention on Biological Diversity, and Global Biodiversity Framework, contribute to the erosion of evidence-based regulation, enabling the development and spread of precaution-based regulatory frameworks. Despite 50 years of accumulated knowledge about the safety of genetic modification technology application since the Asilomar Conference, regulatory requirements are increasing, slowing innovation rates. This article discusses the importance of risk-appropriate regulation for innovation efficiency to avoid precaution-based regulation stifling innovation.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167779924003172
Meetings – Conferences / Treffen - Veranstaltungen
VBIO Online-Webinarreihe: „CRISPR/Cas für eine nachhaltige Zukunft der Landwirtschaft“
Die Online-Webinarreihe „Faszination Biologie“ des VBIO wird am 25.03.2025 von 17.00 bis 19.00 Uhr mit dem Thema: „CRISPR/Cas für eine nachhaltige Zukunft der Landwirtschaft“ fortgeführt
Neue Gentechnik im Lichte der Ökologie: Studientag in Eichstätt
Neue Gentechnik in der Landwirtschaft? Wovor wir uns und unsere Umwelt schützen müssen
Press Releases - Media / Presse- und Medienbericht
von Ondarza N.: After German election win, can Merz deliver leadership at home and in Europe?
Hodgson R.: European governments heading towards GMO deregulation
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/02/24/european-governments-heading-towards-gmo-deregulation
Greenacre M.: EU unveils plan to help farmers embrace innovation
https://sciencebusiness.net/news/agrifood/eu-unveils-plan-help-farmers-embrace-innovation
BUND: Drohende Deregulierung Neuer Gentechniken: Einigung im Ministerrat wäre Startschuss für Trilogverhandlungen
Only some selected press releases or media reports are listed here. The daily up-date of the press releases and
media reports are ►here: February week 09
Publications – Publikationen
Waites J, Achary VMM, Syombua ED, Hearne SJ and Bandyopadhyay A (2025): CRISPR-mediated genome editing of wheat for
enhancing disease resistance. Front. Genome Ed. 7: 1542487 | doi: 10.3389/fgeed.2025.1542487
Wheat is cultivated across diverse global environments, and its productivity is significantly impacted by various biotic stresses, most importantly but not limited to rust diseases, Fusarium head blight, wheat blast, and powdery mildew. The genetic diversity of modern cultivars has been eroded by domestication and selection, increasing their vulnerability to biotic stress due to uniformity. The rapid spread of new highly virulent and aggressive pathogen strains has exacerbated this situation. Three strategies can be used for enhancing disease resistance through genome editing: introducing resistance (R) gene-mediated resistance, engineering nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs), and manipulating susceptibility (S) genes to stop pathogens from exploiting these factors to support infection. Utilizing R gene-mediated resistance is the most common strategy for traditional breeding approaches, but the continuous evolution of pathogen effectors can eventually overcome this resistance. Moreover, modifying S genes can confer pleiotropic effects that hinder their use in agriculture. Enhancing disease resistance is paramount for sustainable wheat production and food security, and new tools and strategies are of great importance to the research community. The application of CRISPR-based genome editing provides promise to improve disease resistance, allowing access to a broader range of solutions beyond random mutagenesis or intraspecific variation, unlocking new ways to improve crops, and speeding up resistance breeding. Here, we first summarize the major disease resistance strategies in the context of important wheat diseases and their limitations. Next, we turn our attention to the powerful applications of genome editing technology in creating new wheat varieties against important wheat diseases.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genome-editing/articles/10.3389/fgeed.2025.1542487/full
Vollmer S. K., Stetter M.G., Hensel G. (2025): First Successful Targeted Mutagenesis Using CRISPR/Cas9 in Stably
Transformed Grain Amaranth Tissue. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.02.22.639339
Genome editing using CRISPR/Cas is a key technology for speeding up breeding for climate-resilient, high-yielding crops (Scheben et al., 2017). However, efficient targeted mutagenesis requires implementing stable transformation methods and establishing a CRISPR/Cas setup suitable for the species of interest (Shan et al., 2020). The availability of such methods is a significant bottleneck to advancing many promising, albeit under-researched, crops. Testing and establishing vectors for efficient application of CRISPR/Cas in non-model crops could boost research and breeding of new valuable crops (Ye and Fan, 2021). We edited key pathway genes in the betalain biosynthesis pathway of grain amaranth, i.e., A. hypochondriacus L., to prove how targeted mutagenesis can be implemented in an orphan crop using the CasCADE modular cloning system (Hoffie, 2022). Grain amaranth is a resilient C4 dicot orphan crop with excellent nutritional composition. These properties make amaranth a well-suited candidate to be bred as a climate-resilient crop (Joshi et al., 2018). However, no efficient and reproducible protocol for successful application of CRISPR/Cas9 or stable transformation and regeneration, has been demonstrated in A. hypochondriacus (Castellanos-Arevalo et al., 2020).
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.02.22.639339v1
Pesaresi, P., Bono, P., Corn, S., Crosatti, C., Daniotti, S. et al. (2025): Boosting photosynthesis opens new opportunities for
agriculture sustainability and circular economy: TheBEST-CROP research and innovation action. Plant J, 121: e17264. https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.17264
There is a need for ground-breaking technologies to boost crop yield, both grains and biomass, and their processing into economically competitive materials. Novel cereals with enhanced photosynthesis and assimilation of greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide and ozone, and tailored straw suitable for industrial manufacturing, open a new perspective for the circular economy. Here we describe the vision, strategies, and objectives of BEST-CROP, a Horizon-Europe and United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded project that relies on an alliance of academic plant scientists teaming up with plant breeding companies and straw processing companies to use the major advances in photosynthetic knowledge to improve barley biomass and to exploit the variability of barley straw quality and composition. We adopt the most promising strategies to improve the photosynthetic properties and ozone assimilation capacity of barley: (i) tuning leaf chlorophyll content and modifying canopy architecture; (ii) increasing the kinetics of photosynthetic responses to changes in irradiance; (iii) introducing photorespiration bypasses; (iv) modulating stomatal opening, thus increasing the rate of carbon dioxide fixation and ozone assimilation. We expect that by improving our targeted traits we will achieve increases in aboveground total biomass production without modification of the harvest index, with added benefits in sustainability via better resource-use efficiency of water and nitrogen. In parallel, the resulting barley straw is tailored to: (i) increase straw protein content to make it suitable for the development of alternative biolubricants and feed sources; (ii) control cellulose/lignin contents and lignin properties to develop straw-based construction panels and polymer composites. Overall, by exploiting natural- and induced-genetic variability as well as gene editing and transgenic engineering, BEST-CROP will lead to multi-purpose next generation barley cultivars supporting sustainable agriculture and capable of straw-based applications.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tpj.17264
Werle, I.S., Bobadilla, L.K., Raiyemo, D.A., Lopez, A.J., Mesquita Machado, F. and Tranel, P.J. (2025): Different nontarget-site
mechanisms underlie resistance to dicamba and 2,4-D in an Amaranthus tuberculatus population. Pest Manag Sci. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.8712
BACKGROUND: Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer (waterhemp) has emerged as one of several weed species that is resistant to synthetic auxin herbicides (SAHs). Among the mechanisms of resistance to SAHs, nontarget-site resistance (NTSR) has been of particular concern owing to its complexity. Here, we integrated linkage mapping with transcriptome analysis to explore NTSR mechanisms to two SAHs, dicamba and 2,4-D, in a multiple-herbicide-resistant A. tuberculatus population (CHR).
RESULTS: Phenotypic evaluations of an F2 mapping population indicated a polygenic basis for both dicamba and 2,4-D resistance in CHR. A weak correlation was observed between phenotypic responses to dicamba and 2,4-D treatments. Linkage mapping analyses revealed eight quantitative trait loci (QTL) regions associated with dicamba and 2,4-D resistance mapped to seven A. tuberculatus chromosomes. Together, these QTL regions explained 24.2 and 23.1% of the variation in dicamba- and 2,4-D-resistant phenotypes, respectively. Only one co-localized QTL region was found between the two resistance traits.
CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that resistance to dicamba and 2,4-D in the CHR population is under the control of genes at multiple loci. The weak phenotypic and genetic associations of resistance traits indicate that more than one NTSR mechanism confers resistance to dicamba and 2,4-D in this A. tuberculatus population
https://scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ps.8712
Chatterjee D., Colvin C., Lesko T., Pfeiffer M. Felton G.W., Chopra S. (2025): Plant defense against insect herbivory: Flavonoid-
mediated growth inhibition of Helicoverpa zea. Plant Stress 15, 100738 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2025.100738
Plant biotic stressors, including insect damage to economically important crops, are on the rise because of climate change (Skendžić et al., 2021; Matzrafi, 2019; Hatfield et al., 2011). Corn earworm (CEW) Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) is one of the economically important insect pests of maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). In this study, maize near-isogenic lines with high flavonoid content in silks, husks, and kernel pericarps were used to test against the survival of CEW larvae. Larvae feeding on high-flavonoid maize lines had increased mortality and reduced body weight. These larvae showed leakage of the midgut peritrophic matrix, indicating leaky-gut-like syndrome suggesting involvement of microbiome changes in the larval gut. Moreover, the expression of chitin formation and gut health-related genes was changed in the midgut of larvae consuming the flavonoid-rich husks. CEW herbivory caused high and localized accumulation of flavonols around the damaged husk area. Silks and husks of high flavonoid lines also had elevated levels of 3-deoxyanthocyanidins (3-DAs) and flavan-4-ols, which contributed to increased larval mortality. Feeding assays using an artificial diet supplemented with a sorghum 3-DAs-rich extract further confirmed the efficacy of these flavonoids in increasing larval mortality. Altogether, this study suggests a novel option for integrated pest management for CEW larvae.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667064X2500003X?via%3Dihub
Priego-Cubero S., Knoch E., Wang Z., +5 , Becker C. (2025): Subfunctionalization and epigenetic regulation of a biosynthetic
gene cluster in Solanaceae. PNAS 122 (8) e2420164122 | https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2420164122
Biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) are sets of often heterologous genes that are genetically and functionally linked. Among eukaryotes, BGCs are most common in plants and fungi and ensure the coexpression of the different enzymes coordinating the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites. Here, we report the identification of a withanolide BGC in Physalis grisea (ground-cherry), a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). A combination of transcriptomic, epigenomic, and metabolic analyses revealed that, following a duplication event, this BGC evolved two tissue-specifically expressed subclusters, containing several pairs of paralogs that contribute to related but distinct biochemical processes; this subfunctionalization is tightly associated with epigenetic features and the local chromatin environment. The two subclusters appear strictly isolated from each other at the structural chromatin level, each forming a highly self-interacting chromatin domain with tissue-dependent levels of condensation. This correlates with gene expression in either above- or below-ground tissue, thus spatially separating the production of different withanolide compounds. By comparative phylogenomics, we show that the withanolide BGC most likely evolved before the diversification of the Solanaceae family and underwent lineage-specific diversifications and losses. The tissue-specific subfunctionalization is common to species of the Physalideae tribe but distinct from other, independent duplication events outside of this clade. In sum, our study reports on an instance of an epigenetically modulated subfunctionalization within a BGC and sheds light on the biosynthesis of withanolides, a highly diverse group of steroidal triterpenoids important in plant defense and amenable to pharmaceutical applications due to their anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and anticancer properties.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2420164122
EFSA
FEZ Panel (2025): Safety evaluation of the food enzyme 6-Phytase from the genetically modified Trichoderma reesei strain AR-766.
EFSA Journal, 23(2), e9226. | https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9226
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9226
FEZ Panel (2025): Safety evaluation of an extension of use of the food enzyme non-reducing end α-l-arabinofuranosidase from the
non-genetically modified Aspergillus tubingensis strain ARF. EFSA Journal, 23(2), e9291 | https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9291
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.2903%2Fj.efsa.2025.9291&mobileUi=0
FEZ Panel (2025): Safety evaluation of an extension of use of the food enzyme triacylglycerol lipase from the genetically modified
Trichoderma reesei strain RF10625. EFSA Journal, 23(2), e9283 | https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9283
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9283